St. Pachomius
Name: St. Pachomius
Date: 14 May
In the beginning of the fourth century, great levies of troops were made throughout Egyptfor the service of the Roman emperor. Among the recruits was Pachomius, a youngpagan, then in his twenty-first year. On their way down the Nile the recruits disembarkedat a village near the Thebaid, whose inhabitants gave the strangers food and money. Marveling at this kindness, Pachomius inquired who they were; he was told they wereChristians, who hoped for remuneration only in the life to come. He then prayed God tomake the truths of that wondrous faith known to him, and promised in exchange to devotehis life to His service. When he was discharged, he went to a Christian village in the Thebaid, where there was achurch; he joined the group of catechumens, was instructed and baptized. Desiring toconsecrate his life to God, he sought out Palemon, an aged solitary, to learn from him thepaths to perfection, and with great joy embraced the most severe austerities. Their foodwas bread and water, once a day in summer, and once every two days in winter;sometimes they added herbs, but mixed ashes with them. They slept only one hour eachnight, and this short repose Pachomius took while sitting upright without support. Three times God revealed to him that he was to found a religious order at Tabenna. AnAngel then gave him a rule of life for a monastery which would require fewer corporalausterities, to accommodate persons whose fear of those practices prevented them fromadopting religious life. Trusting in God, he built a monastery, although he had nodisciples; but vast multitudes soon flocked to him, and he trained them in perfectdetachment from creatures and from self. Pachomius opposed vanity and vainglory in all its manifestations. One day one of themonks, by dint of great exertions, contrived to make two mats instead of the one whichwas the usual daily task, and set them both out in front of his cell, that Pachomius mightsee how diligent he had been. But the Saint, perceiving the motive which had promptedhis act, said, “This brother has taken a great deal of pains, from morning till night, only togive his work to the devil.” Then, to cure him of his delusion, Pachomius imposed onhim as a penance to keep to his cell for five months, under a very severe regime. The visions and miracles of the Saint were innumerable, and he read all hearts. His holydeath occurred in 348. |
